Ear-protector.



J. A. R. ELLIOTT.

EAR PROTECTOR.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 18, 1911.

1,016,877. Patented Feb. 6, 1912.

x INVENTOR WITNESSES Jamwsfl 0. 670052 al W.

JAMES A. R. ELLIOTT, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

EAR-PROTECTOR.

& Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 6, 1912.

Application filed January 18, 1911. Serial No. 603,244.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES A. R. ELLIOTT, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New ,York, borough of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Ear-Protector, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

7 My invention relates to means for the protection of the ears'from excessive pressure due to concussion caused by the discharge of fire-arms or other causes, and the protection of the organs of the inner ear from ex cessive or injurious vibrations, and to indirectl protect the entire nervous system from shock by severe sound; and has for its object to provide a canal which will serve as a substitute for the meatus of. the ear and will admit sufficient air to ventilate the ear, and will also admit sound waves while modifying the striking force.

In-the protector, the canals and air chambers (formed by the co-adaptat-ion of the protector, or otherwise, and the walls of the ear canal) are so proportioned and arranged that the concussion movement of the air is neutralized to protect the ear drum and other parts. The canal of the protector. is normally so disposed as to prevent the con-.

centration of the sound. Waves by thepinna of the ear.

Additional objects of the invention will appear in the following specification, in which the preferred form of my invention is described.

In the drawings similarreference characters refer to similar parts in all the views, in which- 1 Figure l is a view showing'a portion of the ear with myprotector inserted in the meatus; Fig. 2 is a perspective viewshowing my protector; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional View of the protector; and Fig.4 is a modified form .of the invention.

, By referring to the'drawings, it will' be seen that an elongated body portion 5 is provided, having a canal 6 which is unobstructed and extends through one terminal of the body portion at 7, the said. canal terminating in a blind cul-de-s'ac 8.at the other end. The body portion 5 is provided with an annular flange 9 at its outer end, which will permit the user to readily insert the protector in the meatus ofhis ear.

- Two-annular grooves 10 are made in the body portion .5, these grooves 10 being canal 6, between the diaphragms 11,there is one or more openings 13,:.these openings 13 being continued through the outer surface J spaced from each other and being provided of the body portion 5. There is also one or more openings 14 extending from the canal, 6 at a distance from the cul-de-sac,

through the outer surface of the body portion 5,'beyond the inner diaphragm 11."

The body portion 5 is preferably made of celluloid, as it has been found, by physical test, that this material will not'convey sound waves, while metals or 'most other materials will transmit such waves. The diaphragms 11 are preferably constructed of rubber.

In using the protector, after it has been. inserted in the meatus of the ear, it will be found that the canal 6 will be so disposed as to prevent the concentration of the sound waves from the pinna of the ear. The

.canal' 6 and the openings 14 will permit sound waves at all times to reach the ear drum and will also ventilate the ear, but

the shock of any concussion will be 'neutralized. This is so, for not only will the canal 6 modify sound waves in their passage, but as the said canal ends in the blind culde-sac 8, the greater part of the force of the striking efi'ectwill be taken up by the by means of the transverse opening 14, the sound waves will exhaust their force against the canal of the ear, thereby preventin direct contact of the sound waves on the' ruin of the car. At the same time that the striking effect of the wave of the concussion travels in the canal 6, it will strike against the outer surface of the outer diaphragm 11,

and it will instantly pass through the openings 13 and strike against the inner surface 11, any preferred number of these. dia

phragms may be employed without departinner closed end of the body portion 5, and

the striking ing from the scope of the invention, in any way.

In the modified form of the invention shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings, the peripheries of the diaphragm 11 are united to form a flexible hollow-walled drum 15, which will adapt itself to the walls of the ear canal. The body portion 5' has a canal 16, which connects its outer terminal with the interior of the walled drum 15, there being a second canal spaced from the firstmentioned canal which connects with the interior of the walled drum 15, and extends through the side of the body portion 5. When this modified form of the invention is used, the expansive movement of the air is utilized to act on the walled drum 15 and cause it to more effectually close the meatus of the ear when the mass movement of the air requires such an expedient.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. An ear protector comprising an elongated body normally disposed in the meatus of the ear and having a longitudinal canal open at its outer end, and closed at its inner end, forming a cul-de-sac, the said body a being provided at its inner end with a transverse opening adjacent to the cul-de-sae.

2. An ear protector, comprising an elongated body having a longitudinal unobstructed canal open at. its outer end and closed at its inner end forming a cul-de-sac, and spaced diaphragms on the body, said body being provided with a transverse'opening between the diaphragms and with a transverse opening at one side of the inner diaphragm and adjacent to the cul-de-sac.

In testimony whereof I have signed my 40 name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

J AMES A. R. ELLIOTT.

Witnesses:

FnEnc. E. Enmoa R. H. LIENIIART. 

